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University  of  Illinois  Library 


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M32 


Journal  of  the  Association  of 
Collegiate  Alumnae 


VOL.  XI NO.  2 


October,  1917 


WOMEN  IN  LIBRARIES 

ADELAIDE  R.  HASSE 

Chief  of  Economics  Division,  N.  Y.  Public  Library 

Of  course  it  is  about  the  possibilities  for  women  in  library 
work  that  the  readers  of  the  Journal  would  expect  a woman 
librarian  to  write.  I always  hesitate  to  discuss  this  subject  because, 
while  I am  quite  sure  of  my  convictions,  they  do  not  happen  to 
coincide  with  those  of  the  majority  of  my  colleagues.  That  it  is 
expected  of  every  one  today  and  especially  of  the  working  woman 
to  be  efficient  goes  without  saying.  Just  what  the  preparation 
should  be  that  speeds  up  to  this  efficiency  in  library  work  is  the 
subject  about  which  many  of  my  colleagues  and  I differ.  They 
say  there  is  nothing  like  training  and  I agree  with  them  but  we 
differ  as  to  the  kind  of  training.  The  graduates  of  the  library 
schools  today,  I maintain,  stop  learning  when  they  leave  school. 
I am  speaking  of  the  average  of  course.  Many  below  the  average 
have  never  begun  to  learn.  To  attend  lectures,  even  to  pass  an 
examination,  does  not  necessarily  imply  the  possession  of  the  learn- 
ing mind.  A learning  mind  is  not  necessarily  a learned  mind,  but 
a learning  mind  is  what  every  library  worker  should  have. 

There  is  not  in  the  library  school  curriculum  of  today  suffi- 
cient specialization.  A student  may  be  utterly  unfitted  by  tempera- 
ment and  taste  to  become  a cataloguer,  yet  to  secure  her  diploma 
she  must  give  full  time  to  this  technical  discipline.  There  is  no 
discrimination  on  the  part  of  the  schools  between  the  technical  and 
the  professional  part  of  library  work.  It  is  the  technical  to  which 
most  weight  is  attached,  but  it  is  the  professional  work  which  makes 
the  greatest  demands  upon  the  equipment  of  the  worker  and  which 
requires  qualifications  far  more  unusual  than  does  the  technical 
work.  Individuals  responsible  for  the  library  school  curriculum 


74  Association  of  Collegiate  Alumnae 

seem  not  to  realize  that  any  careful  person  with  ordinary  natural 
faculties  can  be  trained  into  a cataloguer.  A reference  or  pro- 
fessional worker,  on  the  other  hand,  is  born,  not  made.  This  state- 
ment will  not  be  admitted  readily  by  librarians  in  general.  But 
reference  work  is  the  one  great  undeveloped  part  of  library  work. 
It  is  that  part  having  the  most  far  reaching  and  worth-while  possi- 
bilities. 

The  failure  to  appreciate  the  possibilities  of  professional  library 
work,  the  unconscious,  but  nevertheless  regrettable  depreciation  of 
this  phase  of  the  work,  has  without  doubt  been  one  of  the  prime 
causes  in  keeping  library  salaries  for  the  rank  and  file  as  low  as  they 
are.  The  reader  may  examine  Bulletin  25,  1915,  of  the  United 
States  bureau  of  Education,  for  a showing  of  the  salaries  paid  to 
librarians.  One  or  two  positions  there  are  which  run  into  five 
figures.  Of  the  four-figure  salaries  $8,000  is  conspicuous,  even  the 
five-thousand-dollar  salaries  make  a small  group.  The  maximum 
for  women  is,  I believe,  $3,000.  The  salary  group  from  $2,000  to 
$4,000  represents  the  group  that  does  real  work,  the  higher  salaries 
being  secured  as  often  through  favoritism  as  through  any  inherent 
ability. 

The  training  to  be  obtained  in  the  library  schools  as  they  are 
at  present  arranged  is  perhaps  sufficient  for  those  library  activities 
with  which  the  public  does  not  come  in  direct  contact.  But  fancy 
this  situation.  A corporation  maintained  for  the  sole  purpose  of 
doing  business  directly  with  the  public  is  confined  in  the  selection 
of  its  personnel  largely  to  the  output  of  schools  whose  curriculum  is 
confessedly  weakest  in  exactly  those  subjects  most  vitally  required 
by  the  corporation.  If  specialization  were  practiced  and  encouraged 
not  only  would  the  incentive  for  individual  effort  be  greater,  but  by 
raising  the  level  of  the  specialties  through  this  pressure  from 
below,  the  level  of  the  mass  would  be  raised.  The  situation  as  it 
exists  today  presents  a dead  level  of  mediocrity.  The  inspira- 
tional reaction  is  almost  entirely  absent.  With  one  or  two  excep- 
tions I do  not  remember  any  unusual  work  being  done  by  library 
school  graduates.  But  it  is  difficult  to  see  how  an  occupation, 
sought  by  the  great  majority  of  those  engaged  in  it  as  a refuge 
rather  than  as  a career,  could  be  other  than  the  grave  it  is. 

As  an  illustration  of  the  perverting  effect  of  training  for 
training’s  sake  let  me  cite  an  incident  which  has  just  occurred  in 
my  division.  A young  woman  with  an  excellent  record  in  her 
library  school  as  well  as  for  subsequent  actual  service  was  recently 
transferred  to  my  division.  I congratulated  myself  and  received 


WCNEI^  \ 


Women  in  Libraries 


75 


the  congratulations  of  my  fellow  workers.  My  division  is  almost 
entirely  a research  department,  one  in  which  mature  men  and 
L~women  do  advanced  research  work.  A student  who  had  been  at 
work  in  the  division  foT  nearly  three  years,  had  during  this  time 
accumulated  a mass  of  material  and  from  time  to  time,  as  he  re- 
quired them,  books  were  brought  to  him  from  the  general  collection. 
The  man  was  doing  a very  important  and  highly  scientific  piece  of 
work  for  an  out-of-town  organization.  At  the  time  of  the  arrival 
in  the  division  of  the  new,  trained  library  worker  this  man’s  table 
was  covered  with  books,  pamphlets,  notes,  a typewriter,  etc.  It 
was  a student’s  work-table,  ready,  convenient,  everything  at  hand. 
A large  part  of  the  material  consisted  of  obscure  pamphlets  of 
which  the  student,  relying  on  our  appreciation  of  his  work,  did  not 
always  keep  references.  The  trained  assistant  looked  about.  The 
first  thing  she  espied  was  this  table.  An  eye-sore,  of  course. 
Without  asking  any  questions  of  any  one  she  took  it  upon  herself 
to  remove  our  student’s  working  material  and  return  it  to  the 
shelves!  Through  this  orderly  piece  of  vandalism  a work,  now 
nearly  three  years  in  progress,  was  effectively  interfered  with. 
The  trained  library  worker’s  standard  was  complied  with,  but  we 
shall  have  to  change  such  standards  if  the  library  is  to  exist  for 
anything  other  than  itself. 

Libraries  need  women  of  the  student  type,  mentally  and 
sympathetically  in  contact  with  live  issues  and  knowing  the  meaning 
and  the  value  of  service.  The  Inez  Milholland  type  is  sadly  needed 
among  us  to  vivify  the  inertia  of  existing  conditions.  American 
women  have  shown  in  their  suffrage  campaigns  of  recent  years  a 
tremendously  brilliant  organizing  power.  Inasmuch  as  library 
work  does  offer  an  undeniably  attractive  scope  to  ambitious,  in- 
telligent women,  and  inasmuch  as  this  scope  is  held  in  abeyance, 
by  lack  of  initiative  in  the  general  plan  of  library  administration, 
might  it  not  be  well  for  organized  women  to  institute  an  inquiry 
into  this  poorly  adjusted  field  of  women’s  work?  Here  is  some- 
thing for  the  A.  C.  A.  to  think  about. 

As  an  indication  of  the  possibilities  lying  within  the  scope  of 
the  great  public  library  it  may  be  profitable  to  compare  it  with 
some  of  the  great  technico-professional  service  institutions  of  the 
federal  government.  Suppose  we  take  the  largest  American  public 
library,  viz:  the  New  York  Public  Library.  The  expenditures  for 
maintenance  of  this  institution  in  1915  were  $1,423,730.  In 
that  same  year  the  United  States  government  expended  for  main- 
tenance of  the  Geological  Survey,  with  its  great  corps  of  experi- 


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Association  of  Collegiate  Alumnae 


enced  scientists,  investigators,  compilers,  etc.,  the  sum  of 
$1,405,520.  In  the  same  year  the  government  spent  for  the 
maintenance  of  the  Weather  Bureau  the  sum  of  $1,667,270. 
The  Weather  Bureau  today  maintains  one  hundred  and  ninety-nine 
stations  furnishing  principal  reports  upon  which  weather  forecast- 
ing is  based  and  over  four  thousand  five  hundred  sub-stations.  The 
daily  forecasts  are  available  by  telephone  to  more  than  five  million 
subscribers  and  by  mail  to  more  than  one  hundred  thousand  ad- 
dresses. Distribution  by  wireless  is  made  for  nine  states.  The 
work  of  the  Geological  Survey  is  almost  too  well  known  through 
its  publications  to  make  it  necessary  to  refer  to  it  at  all  here. 
However,  during  1915,  the  Geological  Survey  was  engaged  in  its 
project  of  mapping  the  3,000,000  square  miles  of  the  United  States. 
It  continued  its  studies  of  the  underground-water  resources  of  the 
United  States.  The  areas  of  these  studies  at  the  present  time 
cover  half  a million  square  miles  of  those  parts  of  the  United 
States  in  which  impure  water  supplies  involve  the  greatest  danger. 
The  value  of  these  surveys  in  conserving  public  health  has  already 
been  demonstrated,  for  it  is  noted  that  wherever  an  adequate  sup- 
ply of  deep-well  water  has  been  obtained,  typhoid  fever,  amoebic 
dysentery  and  malaria  have  abated.  The  two  thick  volumes  en- 
titled “Mineral  Resources,”  published  annually  by  the  Survey  are 
more  than  a statistical  compilation,  they  are  a record  of  industrial 
progress  of  the  year.  The  division  directly  responsible  for  these 
volumes  in  1915  sent  out  210,042  pieces  of  first-class  mail  matter, 
comprising  chiefly  inquiries  for  material  needed  for  the  reports. 
In  all  sixty-two  persons  are  engaged  in  the  compilation  of  these 
volumes,  forty  solely  and  the  remainder  cooperatively.  These  are 
only  a few  of  the  many  great  projects  of  the  Geological  Survey. 
Not  one  of  them  but  has  a direct  bearing  on  the  economic  life  of 
the  country. 

The  salary  roll  of  1915  of  the  corps  of  scientific  assistants  and 
the  office  of  the  director  of  the  Geological  Survey  was  $65,240. 
The  total  salary  roll  of  the  Weather  Bureau  for  the  same  year  was 
$327,270.  The  salary  roll  of  the  New  York  Public  Library  for 
1915  was  $844,468.  It  can  hardly  be  said  that  the  two  former 
institutions  are  less  important  than  the  latter.  Indeed  if  the 
Weather  Bureau  were  to  cease  functioning  for  one  day  the  ex- 
changes, lake  and  river  navigation  and  agriculture  would  all  be 
affected.  Some  of  the  lesser  federal  services  were  maintained  in 
1915  as  follows:  The  Bureau  of  Fisheries  for  $863,971,  the  Foreign 
and  Domestic  Commerce  Bureau  for  $446,988  and  the  Federal 


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77 


Meat  Inspection  Bureau  for  $375,000.  The  administration  of  the 
Navy  Department  in  the  same  year  cost  the  Government  but 
$867,715. 

Why  is  it  that  the  same  amount  of  money  which  produces  such 
tremendous  results  in  the  Government  bureaus  (I  have  barely  in- 
dicated them)  produces  such  pitifully  negligible  results  when  spent 
for  public  libraries.  Is  it  because  the  old  idea  of  a library  as  a 
storage-house  still  obtains?  Obtains  in  spite  of  the  schools,  in 
spite  of  the  modern  idea  that  such  institutions  exist  for  service? 
Is  it  because  the  material  which  goes  into  the  schools  is  below  par  ? 
There  must  be  a reason  for  such  flagrant  divergence  of  results. 

The  course  of  world  events  points  to  sweeping  changes  in  the 
political  and  the  economic  life  of  nations.  We  are  now  under- 
going a transition  from  the  belief  in  old,  formal  established  things 
existing  for  themselves  to  the  greater  idea  that  anything  worth 
maintaining  must  be  of  use.  How  will  our  libraries  meet  this 
change?  With  a large  proportion  of  these  institutions  still  strug- 
gling in  the  coils  of  arbitrary  technique  and  tentative  administra- 
tion, it  is  a matter  of  grave  doubt  whether  as  at  present  conditioned 
they  will  be  able  to  respond  effectively,  let  alone  efficiently,  to  the 
new  demand.  They  are  a dead  weight  on  the  spirit  of  progress. 
Not  one  of  them  is  thoroughly  qualified  today  for  giving  the  in- 
formation service  required  by  this  new  public  attitude  even  in  its 
present  incipient  development. 

And  yet  there  is  opportunity — exceptional  opportunity — both 
for  individual  expression  and  for  service  of  a high  order  in  library 
work.  But  it  is  not  in  libraries  as  such  that  the  movement  has 
begun.  Large  industrial  and  financial  corporations  throughout  the 
country  are  increasingly  supporting  their  departments  of  scientific 
and  statistical  research.  A large  part  of  this  new  development  is 
library  work,  viz : the  assembling  and  routing  of  information  in 
print  to  the  experts  of  the  corporation.  The  details  and  import- 
ance of  this  work  were  aptly  described  by  Mr.  Matthew  C.  Brush, 
President  of  the  Boston  Elevated  Railway  Co.,  in  an  address  be- 
fore the  Special  Libraries  Association,  June  25,  1917,  on  “The 
So-Called  Librarian’s  Real  Duties.”  Mr.  Brush  said : 

“It  seems  most  unfortunate  that  the  title  of  an  employee 
qualified  to  assist  every  officer  and  executive  in  the  performance 
of  his  duties  should  tell  so  little  of  the  work  actually  per- 
formed .... 

“The  employees  of  a company  must  look  necessarily  to 
the  librarian  to  provide  them  with  indexes  for  ready  reference, 


78 


Association  of  Collegiate  Alumnae 


with  books  on  the  subjects  they  are  constantly  studying,  with 
magazines  and  periodicals  pertaining  to  their  business,  with 
pamphlets  appropriate  to  the  work  in  hand,  and  with  book 
reviews  that  they  may  become  acquainted  with  the  latest  books 
printed,  and  moreover  they  should  become  confident  in  pre- 
dicting that  all  or  nearly  all  of  the  up-to-date  literature  they 
may  desire  relative  to  their  work  can  be  found  in  the  company 
library.  They  should  feel  that  when  a question  is  asked  no 
stone  will  be  left  unturned  in  the  search  for  information  as 
to  the  latest  or  best  article  on  the  specific  subject;  that  if  a 
negative  answer  is  given  they  can  bank  on  its  being  so ; that 
if  little  reading  matter  is  forthcoming  it  is  because  little  has 
been  written ; and  that  if  the  answer  is  not  immediately  given 
it  is  due  to  their  question  not  having  been  indexed  as  asked, 
or  else  it  has  been  hidden  away  in  an  obscure  article.  They 
should  feel  confident  that  once  the  librarian  knows  their  wants 
he  will  continue  to  find  matter  on  the  subject  until  directed  to 
stop;  that  if  new  ideas  on  an  old  subject  come  to  hand  they 
will  be  advised  of  the  same;  that  where  information  is  desired 
the  inquiry  will  receive  immediate  attention ; that  the  librarian 
is  in  fact  an  assistant  to  them  in  their  work.  They  should  be 
made  to  feel  that  he  is  glad  of  the  opportunity  to  be  of  assist- 
ance to  them,  and  not  made  to  feel  that  information  is  given 
as  a favor.  He  should  show  as  much  enthusiasm  over  the 
inquiry  of  an  office  boy  as  he  shows  for  the  perplexing  ques- 
tions of  a highly  paid  expert. 

“The  stafif  of  a company  can  unquestionably  use  a librarian 
as  an  assistant  on  many  matters,  since  he  has  an  opportunity 
to  become  fmiliar  with  the  various  trade  magazines,  and  peri- 
odicals, is  able  to  note  and  read  articles  that  they  have  so  little 
time  to  read,  and  can  systematically  call  their  attention  to 
articles  of  special  note  ... 

“The  librarian  must  anticipate  the  executive’s  wants  re- 
garding literature  on  subjects  akin  to  the  business,  and  be 
prepared  with  fitting  references  and  apt  extracts  of  reviews 
regarding  the  many  and  varied  matters  liable  to  develop  in 
the  conduct  of  the  business.  He  must  instinctively  know  what 
subjects  are  bound  to  come  up  for  discussion  at  some  future 
time  and  accumulate  material  to  aid  the  executive  in  the  proper 
study  of  the  question  with  the  least  amount  of  time.  The 
material  should  not  consist  of  stacks  of  books  or  pamphlets 
dumped  upon  his  desk  to  such  an  extent  that  the  executive 


Women  in  Libraries 


79 


groans  at  the  sight  of  the  job  before  him,  but  should  consist 
of  specially  marked  pages  or  paragraphs  in  books,  reviews, 
etc.,  bearing  directly  on  the  subject,  so  that  the  executive  may 
grasp  what  has  been  written  with  the  minimum  amount  of 
personal  work.  In  fact,  if  possible,  the  extracts  should  be 
summarized  and  the  important  points  in  a long  article  con- 
densed into  a sentence  or  two.  . . . 

“The  opportunity  of  being  of  assistance  to  the  executive 
depends  entirely  upon  the  librarian.  If  he  intimately  ac- 
quaints himself  with  the  work  the  executive  has  on  hand  he 
can  make  himself  valuable,  and  really  be  an  assistant  on  many 
matters.  If  he  can  keep  in  touch  with  life  outside  of  his 
vocation,  he  may  be  useful  materially  to  the  executive.  If 
he  can  grasp  what  is  desired  without  lengthy  explanations,  he 
helps  save  time.  In  fact,  the  so-called  librarian  can  build  a 
permanent  place  for  himself  in  every  firm,  corporation  or 
company,  if  he  desires  to  do  so ; and  if  he  possesses  an  intimate 
acquaintance  with  the  various  methods  of  getting  information 
aside  from  books,  periodicals,  pamphlets,  etc.  standing  as  he 
should  at  the  elbow  of  an  executive,  demonstrating  his  ability 
to  advise  how  various  matters  have  been  viewed  by  different 
minds,  and  reporting  why  certain  schemes  were  a success  or 
failure,  it  would  seem  as  if  a more  fitting  title  could  be  thought 
of  for  him  than  that  of  librarian.” 

Now  it  appeals  to  reason  that  not  every  corporation  com- 
mands the  necessary  material  from  which  to  cull  this  information 
for  the  experts  and  executives.  Indeed  some  corporations  do  not 
yet  support  their  own  library  departments,  but  depend  on  the  pub- 
lic library;  and  they  have  a right  to  do  so.  So  has  the  public 
generally.  But  they  are  not  served  adequately.  The  exceptional 
resources  of  our  great  metropolitan  libraries  exist  but  are  not 
available.  They  will  not  be  available  until  library  executives  have 
a point  of  view  similarly  directed  with  that  of  corporation  exec- 
utives. If  a corporation  executive  deems  the  installation  of  a local 
information  service  justifiable,  is  it  not  conceivable  that  the  library 
executive  should  be  willing  to  put  his  plant  on  the  same  utility 
basis?  Yet,  in  spite  of  the  enormous  sums  expended  for  American 
public  libraries,  not  one  has  attempted  to  do  this.  These  institu- 
tions still  depend  on  archaic  catalogues  and  sporadic  indexes  to 
supply  the  needs  and  just  requirements  of  an  alert  public,  and  if 
this  public  is  alert  today,  what  may  we  expect  of  it  in  five,  ten 
years  from  now  with  our  economic  horizon  continually  broadening? 


80 


Association  of  Collegiate  Alumnae 


Undoubtedly  a middleman  agency  will  be  developed  which  will 
simply  rework  the  library  resources  to  meet  the  public  require- 
ments and  sell  the  new  product  back  to  the  library  and  to  the 
public.  There  is  here  then  (it  need  not  be  charted  and  dia- 
grammed), an  opening  for  developments  of  peculiar  interest  to  the 
American  college  woman  of  broad  outlook  and  serious  purpose. 
Public  libraries  are  the  logical  agencies  to  do  this  work,  but  not 
until  the  balance  of  fitness  of  library  personnel  is  on  the  side  of 
professional  as  opposed  to  technical  equipment  can  they  operate  as 
such  agencies.  A firm  stand  by  college  women  against  libraries 
as  institutions  and  in  favor  of  libraries  as  public  service  plants 
will  do  much  to  help. 


NEWNHAM  COLLEGE,  CAMBRIDGE,  ENGLAND 

\ AGNES  h.  ROGERS  X 

M.A.,  St.  Andrews;  Moral  Sciences  Tripos,  Cambrige;  Lecturer  in 
EducationaVJPsychology,  Teachers  Colleger  Columbia 

The  spirit  of  thev  pioneer  commands  a^ention  and  compels 
interest  and  a similar  aNuring  and  arresting  charm  clings  around 
pioneering  institutions.  That  spirit  was  irever  more  intimately  ex- 
perienced than  in  Newnham\?ollege,  Cambridge,  England,  for  its 
founders  yet  live  in  the  hearts  of  tho^e  now  guiding  the  institution 
and  are  in  truth  the  inspiration  afyf  soul  of  the  place. 

To  Bedford  College  it  was  gjweht to  be  the  first  institution  for 
the  higher  education  of  Britisbr  women.  It  was  opened  in  1849. 
Women  were  even  admitted /o  degrees>by  London  University  as 
early  as  1878.  It  is  true  aflso  that  GirtorkCollege  was  an  earlier 
foundation,  being  virtually  established  in  18^9,  when  Miss  Emily 
Davies  rented  a house  an  Hitchin  near  Cambridge  and  instruction 
was  given  along  the  A ines  of  the  University  retirements  to  the 
students  under  her  ymarge  by  certain  resident  tutors  and  university 
professors.  Nevertheless,  there  was  no  woman  who  played  so 
widely  influential  a part  in  the  education  of  the  women  of  Great 
Britain  as  Anne  Jemima  Clough,  who  in  1871  practicably  started 
Newnham  College,  when  she  undertook  the  care  of  fiv\  women 
who  wished  to  attend  lectures  in  Cambridge.  These  five  students 
soon  added  to  their  number  and  in  1875  Newnham  Hall  was  opened. 

B^ore  that  date  Miss  Clough  had  played  a prominent  rolXin 
the  general  movement  for  improving  the  education  of  girls.  Sne 
ha^Lbeen  president  for  the  year  1873-4  of  the  North  of  Englancr 


Opportunities  for  Women  in  Finance 


293 


interviews.  The  outlying  districts  are  generally  covered  by  assign- 
ing ^ach  salesman  certain  cities  o,r  counties  but  here  in  Xew 
Yorl^he  young  hopefuls  are  frequently  turned  out  on  th^vorld 
without!  single  name.  Personality  (which  someone  ha&rdefined 
as  good  character  plus  good  health),  a knowledge  of  thybusiness, 
persistence\nd  tact,  are  the  assets  which  have  enabled  many  young 
men  and  a very  creditable  number  of  women  to  surmount  the 
really  great  difftailties  and  discouragements  of  the  wdrk. 

A good  deal\)f  selling  is  done  by  letter.  Sine/ “the  written 
word  remained!’’  it\s  quite  important  to  the  house /hat  the  writer 
be  accurate  and  conservative  in  his  statements./  Discrimination 
between  the  needs  of  difficult  types  of  customer  is  necessary  to 
results  for  here  personally  is  eliminated  and  /ie  letter  triumphs 
by  sheer  force  of  fitness  o\not  at  all.  Some /ouses  have  a pains- 
taking system  of  following Vp  salesmens’  c^ls  by  letters  and  of 
keeping  in  constant  touch  witmeach  man,  gliding  him  every  night 
bits  of  office  gossip,  records  orche  days’/best  sales,  market  com- 
ment and  information  on  new  isakes. 

The  trading  department  buys  ^on/  and  sells  to  other  houses. 
The  work  is  done  over  the  telephonafcmd  at  very  high  speed.  It 
requires  not  only  a knowledge  of  nri^t  and  of  the  specialties  of 
each  different  house  but  tranquil  Zierve^and  an  unusual  amount 
of  endurance.  There  are  some  excellent  vtomen  traders. 

The  main  business  of  a amck  exchange  house  is  to  transmit 
to  its  representative  on  the  fWor  of  the  exchange  customers’  orders 
to  buy  or  sell.  The  bankmg  and  delivery  departments  are  well 
developed  but  unless  investment  customers  als(\are  sought  such 
a house  has  no  buying />r  sales  department. 

The  customers’  mom  is  the  distinctive  featu!^  Here  each 
sale  as  it  occurs  oy  the  exchange  is  reported  by  t^  ticker  and 
is  frequently  copiofu  on  black  boards  and  charts,  while  the  news 
tickers  grind  out^ill  day  long  every  rumor  and  fact,  polmcal,  com- 
mercial or  financial,  that  might  conceivably  send  any  stolk  up  or 
down.  The  oostomers’  man,  as  he  is  called,  must  know  quotations, 
what  the  present  trend  of  the  market  is  and  why,  and  thekprice 
record  oythe  popular  issues.  Kathleen  Taylor  who  holds  Ysuch 
a position  renders  her  customers  further  service  by  keeping  her- 
self well  informed  as  to  earnings,  prospects,  etc.  of  a large  nt 
ber  /f  companies. 

Now  about  getting  a position.  First  of  all  let  me  say  11 
capital  letters  DON’T  LEARN  STENOGRAPHY  if  you  hav< 
iny  ambition  to  go  beyond  it.  Stenographers,  because  of  the1 


294 


Association  of  Collegiate  Alumnae 


loise  of  their  machines,  are  generally  kept  together  in  a sort  of 
haVem  remote  from  the  pulse  of  the  business.  Their  work  is  toe 
mechanical  to  teach  them  much.  They  are  too  busy  to  study 
too  welhpaid  to  break  away  into  other  departments  most  of  wl 
pay  less  for  the  first  few  years. 

In  finomg  and  filling  your  first  position  special  tracing  in 
law,  economiW  finance  and  statistics  is  helpful  but  not/necessary. 
You  do  not  ne^d  higher  mathematics.  The  essential  in  finance 
are  the  qualities\that  make  for  success  everywhere— good  health, 
very  good  health,  good  breeding,  tact,  perseverance,  self-confidence 
and  the  ability  to  speak  and  write  your  moth e/  tongue.  Will  you 
find  a great  wall  of  prejudice  raised  up  agamst  you?  No,  just  a 
little  fleecy  cloud  of  itxlingering  here  an<J  there.  Like  American 
men  everywhere  bankers,  are  friendly, /tolerant,  not  much  pre- 
judiced against  women  buK  somewhat/afraid  that  other  men  are. 

If  you  decide  to  come  Mown  j£)wn  get  someone  who  knows 
the  district  to  give  you  a list\oL%ood  houses.  Apply  by  letter 
and  in  person  and  apply  and/^pply  and  apply.  Just  beat  on 
the  gates  till  they  let  you  in.  /TherKwork  like  the  dickens  to  make 
good. 

women  in  Hpance  that  each  one  stands 
Tx  to  a large  grsmp  of  men.  It  is  of  the 


There  are  still  so  fe^ 
as  typical  of  her  whole. 


utmost  importance  tj^at  each  acquit  herself  creditably  lest  she 
be  a stumbling  block  to  those  stronger,  freer\  better  women  who 
are  to  come.  W catch  the  spirit  from  Havelock  Ellis : “We  are 
ourselves  the  fight-bearers.  For  a brief  space  it  is  granted  us,  if 
we  will,  to  fifhlighten  the  darkness  that  surrounds  oqr  path.  As 
in  the  ano£ent^torch-race,  which  seemed  to  Lucretius\to  be  the 
symbol  /n  all^life,  we  press  forward  torch  in  hand  aRmg  the 
course:  Soon  from  behind  comes  the  runner  who  will  outpace  us. 
AlL6ur  skill  lies  in  giving  into  his  hand  the  living  torch,  bright 
ra  unflickering,  as  we  ourselves  disappear  in  the  darkness.’ 


WHAT  IS  A LIBRARIAN? 

ISABELLA  M.  COOPER 

Librarian,  Central  Circulation  Branch  New  York  Public  Library 

As  a very  appreciative  and  admiring  colleague  of  Miss 
Hasse’s  I would  state  that  I do  not  disagree  with  her  attitude 
toward  what,  in  the  October  number  of  the  Journal,  she  terms  the 


What  is  a Librarian  f 


295 


professional  service  of  the  librarian.  There  is  no  more  important 
work  upon  which  the  college  woman  can  enter  and  which  opens  up 
more  interesting  and  absorbing  lines  of  public  service  than  that  de- 
scribed by  the  Chief  of  the  Economics  division  who  stands  pre- 
eminently well  proven  to  be  its  champion  and  indefatigable  pro- 
moter. May  I,  however,  sound  a note  of  warning  before  the 
academic  graduate  rushes  headlong  to  destruction  in  the  intri- 
cate entanglements  of  seeking  to  guide  without  knowing  how 
and  finding  herself  in  a no-man’s-land  abandoned  there  by  merci- 
less antagonists,  infuriated  at  the  weakling  inefficiency  of  the 
untrained  worker.  She  would  be  in  quite  as  unpopular  a posi- 
tion as  the  assistant  who  cleared  away  the  student’s  accumula- 
tion of  three  years’  standing  in  the  Economics  division.  One 
of  the  greatest  drawbacks  to  the  schools  in  the  matter  of  producing 
real  librarians  is  the  large  proportion  of  weak  material  with 
which  they  are  obliged  to  struggle  because  of  the  gross  mis- 
understanding of  what  the  profession  includes  in  its  field  and  the 
lack  of  sufficient  inducement  in  remuneration  to  make  it  possible 
for  the  well  adapted  applicant  to  spend  the  time  and  energy 
struggling  toward  the  standing  which  may  yield  a comfortable 
living. 

The  position  which  I wish  to  maintain  in  this  discussion  is 
that  both  the  part  of  the  work  which  Miss  Hasse  designates  as 
professional,  and  the  technical  should  come  under  the  broad 
term  Library  Profession.The  doctor  of  medicine  while  engaged 
in  research  which  will  give  to  the  world  a great  blessing  and  a 
saving  of  innumerable  lives  is  no  more  a professional  worker  at 
that  time  than  when  cataloguing  his  sources  and  tabluating  his 
results  so  that  they  shall  be  available  for  his  own  or  others’  future 
reference.  The  librarian  who  does  not  know  how  to  use  wisdom, 
in  technical  detail,  and  has  no  vision  as  to  the  need  of  records 
for  reference  is  worthless  as  a professional  worker,  for  the  rea- 
son that  when  she  is  absent  from  her  department  or  goes  to 
another  position  or  dies  her  wonderful  power  of  aiding  others 
dies  with  her.  If  she  does  not  attend  to  the  detail  herself  she 
must  know  exactly  what  is  required  and  how  it  should  be  done 
by  her  corps  of  efficient  technical  workers  who  should  have  in 
them  the  inherent  possibilities  of  the  research  worker.  The 
“careful  person  with  ordinary  natural  faculties”  cannot — and  I 
repeat  it — cannot  be  trained  into  a cataloguer  of  any  value  what- 
ever if  she  has  not  a broad  basic  knowledge  of  general  academic 
information  or  a profound  special  knowledge  of  an  individual 
subject,  and  an  experience  in  dealing  with  the  people  who  use 
the  material  which  she  catalogues.  She  may  not  use  the  type- 
writer herself.  That  it  is  to  be  hoped  may  be  assigned  to  a 
clerical  worker;  but  she  must  know  how  to  direct  her  assistants 
to  prepare  such  work  for  the  final  printing.  If  this  ability  does 
not  permeate  the  entire  cataloguing  force  we  might  all  better 
strive  to  be  Justin  Winsors  never  forgetting  anything,  than  to 
relegate  the  material  to  the  impenetrable  and  useless  mass  of 


296 


Association  of  Collegiate  Alumnae 


card  catalogues  and  indexes  in  expensive  furniture  taking  up 
valuable  space.  Cataloguers  should  not  sit  forever  in  one  room 
and  professional  or  reference  workers  in  another,  scarcely  ever 
seeing  each  other,  of  ter  never  cooperating  in  any  way  whatever. 

There  is  no  need  to  change  the  title  of  “an  employee  quali- 
fied to  assist  every  officer  and  executive  in  the  performance  of 
his  duties”  as  Mr.  Matthew  C.  Brush  thinks  necessary.  The 
necessity  is  for  making  plain  to  all  people  what  the  title 
librarian  means  in  all  its  intricate  phases  and  developing  the 
calling  into  a profession  of  recognized  standing. 

This  discussion  is  not  based  on  theory  but  on  a very  strong 
conviction  developed  through  experience  in  many  phases  of 
library  work,  including  the  specialized  reference  department, 
four  different  types  of  schools  either  as  student  or  instructor, 
and  circulation  routine  which  in  many  instances  resolves  itself 
into  the  management  of  a large  office  force.  This  last  phase 
is  particularly  dependent  upon  both  the  so-called  technical  de- 
partments and  the  reference  divisions;  and  times  without  num- 
ber is  seriously  handicapped  and  rendered  helplessly  foolish  for 
lack  of  adequate  cooperation  between  all  departments.  Organ- 
ization, cooperation,  interdependence,  inter-department  com- 
merce should  be  the  watchword,  the  aim  and  ambition  of  all 
assistants,  chiefs  and  administrators. 

The  administration  is  bound  and  hampered  by  all  sorts  of 
restrictions  of  contracts  and  lack  of  funds;  misunderstandings 
as  to  the  proper  functionings  of  a library  withhold  the  patron- 
age which  would  enable  the  institution  to  unloose  its  resources 
and  organize  its  avenues  of  research  for  the  appreciative  members 
of  the  community  who  feel  that  a great  deal  is  being  unfairly 
withheld  from  them.  It  is  true  that  only  a very  small  part  of  the 
service  which  might  be  rendered  is  being  given  but  in  a great 
measure  it  is  due  to  inhibitive  traditions,  inability  to  pay  for  as 
much  excellent  service  as  is  needed,  and  to  lack  of  available 
trained  workers  of  the  valuable  type  who  have  also  the  up-to- 
the-minute  best  possible  business  sense  added  to  their  general 
or  specialized  knowledge  backed  by  technical  skill  in  methods 
and  tools. 

This  discussion  could  go  on  for  pages  concerning  the  per- 
sonnel of  staffs  for  various  types  of  the  work,  but  that  is  not  its 
purpose.  The  sole  aim  is  to  show  that  the  separation  of  the 
technical  and  professional  is  impossible;  that  the  professional  is 
helpless  without  the  technical  and  that  the  technical  has  no  use  for 
existing  without  the  professional.  Every  profession  has  both  phases 
and  no  vocation  can  become  a profession  until  the  two  are  indis- 
solubly fused  and  made  a useful  whole. 

To  college  women  I would  say  come,  many  of  you,  we  need 
you.  We  need  your  ability  for  trained  thinking,  we  need  your 
spirit  of  co-working,  we  need  your  foundation  knowledge,  gen- 
eral or  special.  Come  and  try  yourselves  out  in  the  training 
schools  which  are  gradually  developing  toward  a more  special- 


What  is  a Librarian? 


297 


ized  standard.  New  York  should  offer  you  the  greatest  labora- 
tory in  the  world  for  your  clinic  work  in  every  possible  kind  of 
library,  from  a deposit  station  of  the  great  traveling  libraries 
system  to  the  intimate  research  work  of  the  highly  specialized 
department  or  library ; from  the  cataloguing  of  a private  collec- 
tion to  the  organizing  of  the  intricate  records  of  a great  financial 
business  house.  Libraries,  libraries,  libraries  all  over  this  huge 
metropolis;  but  of  very  little  use  if  the  trained  worker  with  tools 
and  possessed  of  adequate  knowledge  is  not  there. 

Lastly  just  a few  figures  to  show  that  the  New  York 
Public  Library  is  doing  its  bit  to  serve  a public  whose  interests 
are  as  varied  as  its  nationalities.  No  one  appreciates  more 
keenly  than  the  writer  how  far  from  adequate  the  service  is 
because  unfortunately  she  was  born  not  made  one  of  those  pro- 
fessional reference  workers  and  is  very  often  in  despair  at  her 
inability  to  do  justice  to  information  seekers  because  of  dis- 
couraging conditions.  At  such  times  one  is  borne  up  by  realiz- 
ing the  size  of  the  institution,  its  enormous  clientele  with  its 
insatiable  thrist  for  endless  variety  of  material,  and  that  some 
small  number  must  be  receiving  benefit  somewhere.  In  the 
Report  for  1916  a few  of  the  totals  are  as  follows : the  total 
number  of  readers  served  for  the  year  ending  Decemebr,  1916, 
in  the  Reference  Departments  of  the  main  building  was  842,976, 
and  the  total  number  of  volumes  consulted  2,321,303.  To  the 
majority  of  those  not  using  the  library  for  serious  work  this  does 
not  mean  much  more  than  passing  books  over  a counter.  To 
the  trained  worker  it  means  hours  upon  hours  of  searching  for 
exactly  the  material  required,  and  being  greatly  delayed  in 
reaching  it  if  the  technical  aids  are  not  in  the  best  of  order  and 
have  not  been  intelligently  and  thoroughly  prepared. 

The  total  number  of  volumes  given  out  by  the  branch 
libraries  for  “home  use”  for  the  year  ending  December,  1916, 
was  10,128,682.  Again  to  the  unitiated  this  means  no  more  than 
taking  a book  from  a shelf  and  handing  it  over  a desk.  But  the 
trained  worker  knows  that  a great  deal  of  manual  labor,  clerical 
work  and  technical  skill  has  been  employed  to  make  that  volume 
available;  and  that  a very  great  deal  more  absolutely  accurate 
recording  work  must  be  gone  through  with  to  keep  track  of  that 
book  in  its  safe  conduct  from  the  library  and  back  again.  More- 
over the  branch  library  which  does  not  couple  with  this  business 
office  routine  keen,  quick,  intelligent,  adequate  information  serv- 
ice, professional  reference  service,  is  lost. 

Figures  mean  very  little.  If  the  college  woman  will  inves- 
tigate through  seeking  professional  training  she  will  find  an  in- 
teresting and  absorbing  field  where  she  may  exercise  her  tech- 
nical, business  and  research  bents  to  the  limit  of  her  professional 
ability. 


STATES  RELATIONS  SERVICE 

CAROLINE  HUNT 

Scientific  Assistant  Dept,  of  Agriculture. 


)n  May  8,  1914,  at  a time  of  great  popular  excitement  over 
threaded  international  difficulties,  Congress  passed  a bilLof  great 
importance  in  its  bearing  on  rural  life,  and  particular^/  on  rural 
home  conditions.  The  passage  of  this  measure,  whi pa  had  been 
fathered  i\  the  House  by  Congressman  Lever  of  South  Carolina 
and  in  the  Senate  by  Senator  Smith  of  Georgia, /nd  which  was 
therefore  knoum  as  the  Smith-Lever  bill  made  available  large  sums 
of  money  for  extension  teaching  in  agriculture  a/a  home  economics 
in  the  various  stages.  The  payment  of  this  nyoney  by  the  Federal 
Government  in  surcys  which  were  to  increase/ir/  amount  yearly  up 
to  the  stipulated  maximum  was  conditioned  in  the  case  of  every 
state  upon  the  appropriation  of  a corresponding  sum  by  the  state 
itself.  It  was  stipulated  also  in  the  Wll  that  the  instruction  be 
not  so  much  by  means  o\ the  printed  /a ge  or  formal  lecture  as  by 
direct  personal  contact  anti  practical  demonstrations  in  the  farm 
communities  of  efficient  mefhods  \p  agriculture  and  home  making. 

Because  of  the  peculiar  ckcumstances  under  which  the  bill  was 
passed,  its  full  significance  anafimportance  were  realized  only  by 
the  few  who  had  been  specially  mstrumental  in  advocating  it.  As 
time  went  on,  however,  it  becameYPparent  that  it  represented  an 
important  step  in  the  slow  progress  which  we,  as  a people,  are 
making  toward  industriaVdemocracy  \oward  a condition  of  society 
ill  which  all  will  work /to  produce  th&great  sum  total  of  wealth 
from  which  all  must  Necessarily  draw  the  materials  with  which  to 
clothe,  to  feed,  and  /o  house  ourselves,  kid  from  which  we  must 
obtain  the  means  pi  education,  amusemek  recreation,  entertain- 
ment and  aesthetic:  satisfaction ; a state  of  \pciety  in  which  every 
worker  will  be  Considered  worthy  of  his  share  of  the  product  and 
in  which  worj/  of  every  kind,  providing  it  is  Socially  valuable  and 
really  productive,  will  be  preceded  by  adequate  educational  prepara- 
tion ; a sta/e  of  society  in  which  no  individual  an\  no  group  of  in- 
dividual^ will  be  especially  dependent  upon  the  gdod-will  of  any 
other  individual  or  group  of  individuals  for  the  rewands  of  labor. 

mis  measure  followed  logically  upon  that  other  important  step 
toy&rd  industrial  democracy  which  led  to  the  establishment  of  col- 
leges of  agriculture  and  home  economics  in  the  various  smfes.  It 
>imply  extended  the  work  of  these  institutions  by  carrying  the  bene- 

298 


OPEN  LETTERS 


[The  following  letters  were  omitted  from  the  December  Journal  owing  to 
lack  of  space.] 

To  the  Editor  of  the  Journal  of  the  Association  of  Collegiate 
Alumnae : — 

May  I call  your  attention  to  Miss  Hasse’s  article  in  the  October 
number  of  your  Journal,  entitled,  “Women  in  Libraries,”  which 
' conveys  an  entirely  erroneous  idea  of  library  school  graduates,  and 
of  library  work  as  a whole,  to  the  readers  of  this  magazine? 

In  the  opening  paragraph,  Miss  Hasse  says,  “My  convictions 
do  not  happen  to  coincide  with  those  of  the  majority  of  my  col- 
leagues,”— which  is  very  true,  and  I will  not  argue  this  point  with 
her. 

Next,  the  writer  states,  “The  graduates  of  the  library  schools 
of  today,  I maintain,  stop  learning  when  they  leave  school.  I am 
speaking  of  the  average,  of  course.  To  attend  lectures,  even  to 
pass  an  examination  does  not  necessarily  imply  the  possession  of  a 
learning  mind.  But  a learning  mind  is  what  every  library  worker 
should  have.”  Such  remarks  only  further  tend  to  make  our  profes- 
sion quite  misunderstood,  and  certainly  there  is  already  plenty  of 
misunderstanding  of  it  on  the  part  of  the  layman.  These  remarks 
are  not  fair  to  librarians  in  general.  To  say  that  the  average 
librarian  stops  learning  when  she  leaves  library  school,  is  perfectly 
preposterous.  There  are  exceptions,  of  course,  and  these  Miss 
Hasse  must  be  thinking  of,  but  I heartily  disagree  with  her  when 
she  says  the  average.  For  most  modern  librarians  realize  that 
unless  they  are  constantly  learning,  their  libraries  will  not  be  giving 
the  right  kind  of  service,  neither  will  they  be  taking  their  rightful 
places  in  the  community.  And  from  a purely  selfish  standpoint,  in 
a profession  that  is  constantly  being  added  to  by  clever,  capable 
library  school  graduates  (and  others  who  are  not)  most  librarians 
realize  that  unless  they  are  on  the  alert  to  learn,  unless  they  have 
constantly  the  open  mind,  they  will  very  quickly  be  superseded. 

Miss  Hasse  lauds  the  Government  reports  and  seems  to  think 
that  Uncle  Sam  gets  every  cent’s  worth  of  his  money  invested  there, 
and  that  the  taxpayers  of  the  public  library  do  not.  She  states 
that  the  administration  of  the  Navy  Department  in  the  year  1915 
cost  the  government  but  $867,715  while  the  salary  roll  of  the  New 
York  Public  Library  for  1915  was  $844,458.  “Why  is  it,”  she  asks, 
“that  the  same  amount  of  money  which  produces  such  tremendous 

311 


312 


Association  of  Collegiate.  Alumnae 


results  in  the  Government  Bureaus  produces  such  pitifully  neglible 
results  when  spent  for  public  libraries  ?”  Now  I venture  to  assert 
that  the  work  accomplished  by  the  New  York  Public  Library  in 
1915,  while  it  did  not  compare  in  quality  with  the  work  of  the  Navy 
Department,  more  than  held  its  own  in  quantity. 

Quoting  from  the  article  again,  “The  inspirational  reaction  is 
almost  entirely  absent.  With  one  or  two  exceptions,  I do  not  re- 
member any  unusual  work  being  done  by  library  school  graduates. 
But  it  is  difficult  to  see  how  an  occupation  sought  by  the  great 
majority  of  those  engaged  in  it  as  a refuge  rather  than  as  a career, 
could  be  other  than  the  grave  it  is.”  Miss  Hasse  is  evidently  not 
familiar  with  library  work  and  workers  in  the  Middle  West  (and 
I do  not  feel  that  I am  getting  personal  when  I speak  of  the  Middle 
West,  for  I have  been  here  but  a short  time)  where  there  are  many 
very  much  alert  library  school  graduates  that  have  been  for  several 
years  making  their  libraries  a real  and  vital  force  in  their  com- 
munities. Moreover,  they  are  doing  unusual  work,  and  the  in- 
spirational reaction  is  not  by  any  means,  absent. 

The  library  schools  of  the  day  should  not  be  criticized  for  not 
preparing  specialists  instead  of  general  public  library  worker:'. 
They  do  not  claim  to  do  this;  the  making  of  specialists  is  an  after 
development,  and  probably  some  day  in  the  future  a graduate  school 
for  the  training  of  specialists  will  be  established. 

In  the  meantime  I hold  a brief  for  the  library  school  graduate 
of  today, — that  the  average  are  of  a learning  mind,  constantly  on 
the  alert,  and  constantly  progressing  and  making  their  work  and 
their  libraries  of  real  and  effective  service  to  the  people. 

Almira  R.  Wilcox, 

Librarian  Carnegie- Stout  Free  Public  Library, 

Dubuque,  Iowa. 


Editor  of  the  Journal : 

Miss  Hasse’s  articles  always  stimulate  me  immensely  al- 
though they  come  at  too  infrequent  intervals,  but  this  week  I 
have  had  the  pleasure  of  reading  two  with  only  a three-day 
interval — one  in  the  Library  Journal  for  October  and  the  other 
in  the  Journal  of  the  Association  of  Collegiate  Alumnae.  These 
articles  have  struck  strong  chords  of  response  in  me  and  my 
enthusiasm  cannot  longer  be  repressed.  I want  to  thank  Miss 
Hasse  for  expressing  with  such  vigor  and  clarity  what  I have 


Open  Letters 


313 


been  passionately  but  dumbly  feeling  for  many  months.  I agree 
thoroughly  with  the  stand  taken  by  this  brave  capable  woman 
on  a question  of  such  importance  and  urgency  to  our  libraries. 

I am  a librarian  in  the  federal  department  of  Agriculture 
and  am  filled  with  a deep  appreciation  of  the  possibilities  of 
the  work  and  an  abounding  joy  in  its  performance  in  so  far 
as  my  ability  goes.  If  the  attitude  of  one’s  mind  is  right  one 
cannot  do  reference  work  and  not  grow  and  so  long  as  one 
is  growing  one  is  living  fully.  Every  reference  question  is 
really  a quest  after  the  unknown;  it  is  pioneer  work  in  a sense 
full  of  the  best  sort  of  compensation. 

I thank  Miss  Hasse  from  the  depths  of  my  heart  and  mind 
for  those  articles. 

Mary  G.  Lacy. 

To  the  Editor: 

I have  read  Miss  Hasse’s  article  in  the  October  number  of 
the  Journal  and  am  rejoiced  to  find  that  she  is  condemning  the 
wooden  library  system  prevailing  so  commonly.  It  has  been 
some  years  since  I was  in  a public  .library  and  my  reason  for 
this  has  been  a realization  of  the  inability  of  the  libraries  to 
adapt  themselves  to  public  methods. 

Frederic  Burk,  State  Normal  School,  San  Francisco. 


'rom  the  Paris  Headquarters  of  the  Red  Cross 
a requ^^fpr  well-pumps.  When  the  German^**rtfSated  from 
certain  districtS^kfwleft  the  wells  filledwi^Kfubbish  and  in  many 
cases  they  destroy  earhe^umps.^£Wlf7se  families  who  have  gone 
back  to  their  devastated£5k<^to  try  to  restore  them  dare  not 
drink  from  the  %ells*tfmil  they  kun^S^ey  are  safe.  After  a well 
has  been  dpidfST  and  purified  the  peopi^NlQck  to  it  for  miles 
aroim0-<o  get  the  pure  water.  The  gift  of  [nmT|T|l|»ni |||  il  is  said 
a real  contribution  to  the  work  of  reconstruction. 


AMONG  THE  BRANCHES 


Ann  Arbor  Branch,  Ann  Arbor,  Mich. — The  chief  interest  of 
th>e  Ann  Arbor  branch  of  the  Association  centers y^round  the 
work  it  has  undertaken  in  connection  with  the  university  union 
in  Europe.  At  the  last  meeing  a most  interesting  letter  from 
Prof.  (Sharks  Vibbert,  Michigan’s  representative  in  Paris,  was 
read.  Rrof.  Vibbert  told  of  the  change  of  lo<yftion  of  the  Paris 
headquarters  to  the  Royal  Palace  Hotel,  Pj6ce  du  Theatre,  a 
much  more  central  point  than  the  Hotel  Ae  Jena,  which  was 
first  chosem.  The  eighty  bedrooms  are  already  filled  and  rooms 
have  had  toVbe  secured  for  the  overfl^.  Prof.  Vibbert  said 
that  his  headquarters  would  be  named  Jft  honor  of  our  branch  of 
Collegiate  Alumnae. 

The  Ann  Aifoor  Branch  was  phased  to  have  as  its  guest 
at  an  informal  \upper  on  Novjifmber  23d,  Dean  Lois  K. 
Matthews  National President  of  line  Association. 

Dr.  Mary  Thompson  Stewens  of  Detroit  who  has  been 
chosen  to  succeed  M^s.  George  H.  Noyes  as  vice  president  of 
the  N.  E.  Central  Section,  is  i graduate  of  the  academic  depart- 
ment of  the  UniversityNof  Jtfichigan  of  the  class  of  ’85  and  of 
the  Homeopathic  MedicaiyCollege  of  the  class  of  ’88.  Besides 
being  a most  competent  Homemaker  Dr.  Stevens  has  carried  on 
a successful  practice  aVdyias  given  much  of  her  time  and 
executive  ability  to  suffrageWid  reform  movements. 


Boston  Branch, yBoston,  M^ss. — When  the  Boston  Branch 
had  its  last  meeting  in  the  sprirrg,  a committee  was  appointed 
the  chairman  of  wnich  was  Mrs.  fltercy  G.  Bolster,  to  organize 
homes  or  clubhouses  near  camp  sites  and  home  ports.  The 
committee  was^t  work  all  summemnd  now  in  the  fall  has 
two  projects  torreport.  The  first  is  th^^stablishment  of  a club- 
house in  Pro\/ncetown,  where  are  stationed  several  coast  patrol 
boats  and  otfier  naval  craft,  whose  men  a^ in  the  harbor  about 
400  at  a time,  in  shifts  of  perhaps  two  ^eeks.  A furnished 
house  haafbeen  hired,  the  summer  home  oVan  artist,  where 
opportunities  for  reading,  letter-writing,  music^md  games  will 
be  offer/i  and  suppers  will  be  served  at  a reasorable  rate,  and 
where  /wo  college  graduates  will  be  in  residence^  Invitations 
will  bl  sent  “to  all  men  in  uniform”  who  are  stationed  at  Prov- 
incet/wn. 

'he  second  plan  of  the  committee  on  war  work  isvne  pro- 
ving of  chaperons  for  the  Camp  Devens  club-house  A.  Ayer, 
lich  is  to  be  opened  in  December.  The  committee  was  mvited 
undertake  this  work  by  the  Camp  Devens  Recreation  Com- 
mittee. An  appropriation  of  $50  was  made  for  the  committee 
by  the  Branch  and  gifts  or  pledges  of  money  and  offers  of  service 
are  now  asked  for  from  the  individual  members. 

In  response  to  a suggestion  in  one  of  the  Association’s  war 

314 


Gaylord  Bros. 

Makers 


Syracuse 


N Y. 


PAT.  JAN.  fl,  'MS 


